Leah Marone

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Viewing entrepreneurship as a process of trial and error can help leaders ensure they take the time to reflect on how the business is performing as a whole. While starting business requires a considerable amount of preparation, there’s no substitute for the amount of experience entrepreneurs gain from actually running a business. As leaders begin putting systems in place and setting the general ways of how the business will operate, certain habits become ingrained that cause more harm than good in the long run. Being so directly involved in everything the business does can prevent leaders from seeing the larger picture and the negative impact of these ingrained habits on the business. To help leaders more readily identify and change problematic behavior, 18 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one seemingly harmless habit in a business leader that might in fact be hindering their success.

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Motivating employees to see the benefit of looking at things from a different perspective can lead to business success. With the current workforce now consisting of Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and, increasingly, Generation Z, these distinct generations all bring with them different ideas about how the day-to-day operations of a business should work. This can create a toxic environment of miscommunication and misunderstanding that negatively impacts a business’s ability to retain its employees and properly serve its customers. When these challenges arise, it’s vital that leaders develop a plan of action to connect and build strong relationships with employees, regardless of their age, generation or experience level. To help, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer tips to help business leaders pull the different generations in their workforce together to the benefit of the entire organization.

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As a business grows larger, it becomes even more imperative that managers make time for connection with their team members. In today’s dynamic workplace environment, many businesses are now composed of in-person, hybrid and remote teams. While this presents communication challenges for leadership in companies of all sizes, engaging with and managing a dispersed and fast-growing team comes with its own set of obstacles. Implementing strategies that take employees into consideration can help managers effectively connect with their team members when one-on-one meetings are not always feasible. Below, nine Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how managers of a rapidly growing company can ensure they regularly touch base with all their team members, regardless of their work environment.

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Amidst the twinkle of holiday lights, the hum of year-end festivities, the closing of Q4, a quieter yet profound tradition emerges — the annual self-evaluation.

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Making the most of your time after a holiday break requires setting realistic expectations for yourself and your team. End-of-year holidays can be a welcome break from the grind until January arrives and it's time to get back in gear. Between celebrations and holidays, many professionals jump into January with the aim of tackling lingering work and starting new initiatives, but doing so without a solid plan of action can result in family and personal time being put on the back burner. To help professionals find balance after the holidays, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one method they use to set boundaries and catch up on their work backlog without falling behind on family time and personal chores.

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Creating a more imaginative internal culture requires making changes to how your business manages employee ideas and feedback. In business, the most effective initiatives often rise from the bottom up. While leaders are essential in shaping the larger direction of an organization, it takes the combined efforts of team members in every position to carry out set objectives successfully. Creating an internal culture of active encouragement and support for employees to express themselves and devise new ways of thinking results in a truly effective business. Below, 16 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer strategic approaches business leaders can leverage to build a culture of curiosity and innovative thinking among team members at all levels.

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While a busy business is the ultimate goal for many entrepreneurs, too many initiatives can eventually begin to negatively impact the team without intervention. The ability of a business to take on more and more initiatives is a definitive indication that the organization is doing something right. However, between marketing, customer support and product development, to name a few essential business functions, starting too many initiatives without proper protocols, adequate resources and a large enough team can prevent the team from making effective progress on any of them. For business leaders to successfully manage the initiatives they start, it’s essential that they keep a close eye on internal happenings and hone their skills in recognizing when too many projects have been undertaken. Below, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one sign that a leader has too many projects going on and how they can take steps to dial back and reduce project quantities for the sake of the overall business.

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Mapping out a marketing strategy beforehand can help a business ensure its efforts are focused and tailored to potential customers. The right marketing strategy can propel a business to new and exciting heights. While many leaders tend to focus primarily on product or service development, taking the time to reflect on potential marketing strategies is equally as important, as it can help establish brand identity and effectively reach a target audience. The holidays in particular mark a time for giving, and customers are especially eager to learn about brands that may provide the gift they’re looking for. Crafting a well-thought-out holiday marketing strategy in advance ensures a business remains focused, thereby increasing the chances of successfully engaging prospects and converting them to bonafide customers. To help leaders create effective plans, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one essential base to cover when developing an annual holiday marketing strategy for a business, as well as why these elements are important.

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Putting yourself in the shoes of your ideal customer can be an effective way to ensure you remain focused on their needs and desires. A landing page is often the first interaction a potential customer has with your website and company. The wrong colors, not enough or too much information and a cluttered design can all be factors that turn potential customers away from a business. An appealing landing page, however, not only entices visitors to explore the website further but also can be essential in converting visitors to paying customers. Below, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one way to ensure a landing page is appealing and optimized for conversions. From simplifying the design to reaching out to your target audience for feedback, making even small changes can lead to higher conversion rates.

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To create a brand that truly resonates with customers, focus on addressing and solving customer pain points. The first step in starting a business is having an idea for a product or service. While this is a key move, it’s also just one step in the ongoing marathon of establishing and maintaining a business. To build businesses that grow and become sustainably successful, entrepreneurs will also need to form detailed plans for how they will set their brand apart and communicate their offering on the market. The members of Newsweek Expert Forum have experience building and managing businesses and learning what actions do and do not yield fruitful results. Below, 14 of them share their tips to help entrepreneurs effectively define and establish their brand’s niche in the market.

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Even just taking a few routine tasks off of a leader's plate can have a huge impact on their efficiency. As a business grows larger, the amount of work a leader handles increases as well. Between attracting potential customers, nurturing customer relationships and managing all aspects of the customer journey, this leaves leaders with little time to work on the business rather than in the business.  Hiring a virtual assistant can be a great way for leaders to offload administrative and routine tasks while also positively impacting efficiency across the organization. Here, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members share how retaining a virtual assistant has helped them streamline their tasks and become more productive.

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Inviting employees to share feedback and make suggestions can help ensure the entire team is in alignment. Today’s professionals are increasingly expecting jobs to offer flexible workplaces. While many business leaders are seeking to provide more remote and hybrid-friendly workplace environments, it can be difficult to let go of how things have traditionally been done for years and even decades. In particular, the potential impact on productivity is a significant concern for some leaders as they look to establish more flexible policies. To help, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer one tip for business leaders seeking to implement a flexible working schedule policy for the first time without impacting overall productivity.

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Inviting employees to share their input in workplace changes helps ensure the creation of an inclusive and empathetic space. The idea of what constitutes a safe working environment has changed significantly in today’s global business environment. Where before the focus was primarily on physical safety, many organizations have evolved to now include well-being and psychological safety as well, resulting in increased productivity and decreased turnover.  While many businesses are committed to creating and maintaining a safer work environment, knowing where to start and what to focus on can be challenging. To help, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer one essential factor business leaders should consider when working to build a safer working environment in a business.

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When a partnership with a client isn’t working as well as it used to, it can be hard to let go of both the relationship and the steady work. While a steady supply of new clients is critical to helping a business get off the ground, returning customers play an equally important role in a business’s lasting success. Establishing a long-term partnership with a client can be incredibly beneficial on both sides, resulting in effective collaboration, increased efficiency and a deeper understanding of the other party. However, not all relationships are meant to last forever. When issues keep occurring and relations become strained or toxic, it’s time to take an objective look at the partnership to determine whether it should continue. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one warning sign that a partnership with a client has turned toxic and needs to be ended.

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Though an investment of time, effort and money do make entrepreneurship easier, leaders should still expect to encounter challenges. The entrepreneurial journey is full of highs and lows for every business leader. And even when a leader has considerable resources, there is no way to completely avoid encountering business challenges. While these hurdles can completely shake a business, they can also double as valuable learning experiences that help entrepreneurs grow and develop their skills as leaders. Below, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one specific business challenge they believe usually results in a great teaching experience and what lessons leaders can carry forward into the future.

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Committing to building a culture of unwavering customer centricity can effectively transform your business for the better. From Fortune 500 companies to startups, companies that prioritize customer centricity stand out in the market. They understand that customers are more than just revenue sources—they are the foundation of business survival and expansion. A customer-centric culture places the customer at the heart of every decision, fostering trust, loyalty and long-term relationships. But how can businesses truly embed this philosophy into their culture? Below, 20 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore the most effective strategies to cultivate a customer-centric culture within an organization and delve into the reasons why these approaches are vital for sustainable growth.

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Give your employees the flexibility they need to thrive with these unique offerings and strategies. Numerous studies have found that employees not only value flexibility in the workplace, but they also thrive when they actually receive it. While hybrid and remote work arrangements have become increasingly commonplace, organizations continue to explore unique and uncommon ways to provide even more flexibility. Companies that do this are more likely to attract and retain a workforce that's both productive and highly satisfied. To help businesses support their teams, 20 members of Newsweek Expert Forum share out-of-the-box offerings and strategies to give employees the flexibility they crave.

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Leaning on the perspectives and expertise of the entire team can help ensure decisions are made with care. Leaders are often faced with critical decisions that can significantly impact a company's success. However, the process of decision making can often be clouded by preconceived notions and assumptions. To make the best possible choices, leaders must step back and evaluate their own biases—but they may not always be sure how to do so. Below, 18 members of Newsweek Expert Forum share top strategies to help leaders set aside their assumptions and approach critical business decisions with an objective eye.

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While business can sometimes seem like an extrovert’s playground, introverted leaders can network effectively with other professionals to build lasting relationships. As a leader, being able to make solid connections with professionals in and outside of one’s industry is key to running a successful business. Though introverted leaders may dread networking, the long-term benefits of cultivating both personal and professional business relationships can significantly boost a business and give a leader access to new opportunities.  From scouting potential contacts online to joining community organizations with a focus on their hobbies, there are numerous ways for reserved leaders to put themselves out there without it being too much of an obstacle. Below, 18 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how introverted leaders can overcome the challenge of networking while making it more natural and fun.

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Making the effort to take full advantage of personal and professional growth opportunities can help leaders achieve significant goals. Many business leaders will attest that running and maintaining a successful business happens only with a continued investment of countless hours. While this time investment is crucial for ensuring that the business is performing well and on track with goals, it can limit the amount of time leaders have to spend on other pursuits, such as acquiring new knowledge and the development of a leader’s skills.  Despite this, there are steps a leader can take to reprioritize and dedicate more time to investing in themselves and their own personal and professional growth. Below, 10 Newsweek Expert Forum members share specific ways a business leader can pursue further education and ongoing growth opportunities when they have limited spare time.

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Cultivating a values-driven environment will help align team members' actions with the core principles of your business. Company values are the guiding principles that shape an organization's culture and define its identity. However, only having values in place is not enough. To truly embed them within the fabric of a team, it is crucial to reinforce and strengthen each member’s understanding and commitment. Below, 19 Newsweek Expert Forum members share effective strategies leaders can use to nurture a values-driven team. These approaches will help solidify the team's understanding of company values and foster a deep sense of commitment. 

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Engage seasoned professionals can empower aspiring individuals and foster lasting impact through mentorship, internships, education and networking. To maintain success, it is not only essential for leaders to focus on the present but also to invest in the future by empowering the next generation. By sharing knowledge, providing guidance and offering opportunities, experienced professionals can play a vital role in helping young talent thrive. Below, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore various ways in which successful business owners and leaders can reach out and give the next generation a leg up. By actively engaging with and supporting the next generation, business leaders can foster a culture of innovation, inclusivity and continuous growth while leaving a lasting positive impact on future generations of professionals.

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Seeking out and actively encouraging employees to share their opinions is critical to making the right business calls. Businesses of all sizes are constantly making decisions that have a considerable impact on the entire organization. The gravity of these decisions as well as the chances of conversations sparking disagreement and sowing team division may cause some leaders to limit discussions to a select few. Fortunately, safeguards can be put in place to add employees at all levels into the conversation, effectively limiting conflict, keeping discussions respectful and allowing individuals to offer insight without fear of negative consequences. To help businesses create space for various perspectives and set boundaries, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members share approaches leaders can leverage to encourage vigorous, yet respectful debate in their organizations.

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While failure does come with significant downsides, actively encouraging employees to take risks can be worthwhile. “Failure” has a complex meaning in business. On one hand, failure can mean unimaginable loss ranging from the waste of limited resources to the loss of one’s livelihood completely. On the other hand, failure can also be a harbinger for great personal and professional growth.  No matter how one feels about failure, the truth of the matter is that business is all about leveraging the lessons that come out of failure to innovate. Taking risks, building on failure and encouraging your employees to do the same is the key to becoming a major player in your market.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum have directly experienced the benefits of cultivating a workplace environment that supports experimentation. Below, 15 of them share how leaders can encourage and foster a culture of innovation within their organization.

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To continuously drive business growth, leaders have to be more willing to lean on their employees and ask for help. At times, leadership can be a heavy burden. For some, being a strong leader means subscribing to the idea that a leadership role entails bearing the pressures of the position alone. And while this belief can and has led to gains, shouldering every aspect of a business on one’s own will only work to a limited degree of success. Instead, learning how to build, manage, delegate and lean on your team can positively impact the entire team and the business. To help, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer strong leaders tips for successfully managing their staff to drive business growth.

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Leaders often have many things and people depending on them. When every decision made can have far-reaching consequences, it’s not uncommon for some leaders to be stressed or apprehensive about making the wrong call. Rather than letting their negative emotions get the best of them, and potentially lead to important decisions being delayed, it’s crucial to determine what processes will produce the best decision possible for a given situation. As leaders themselves, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are well aware of the importance (and downsides) of decision-making. To make the process easier, 14 members offer advice to help leaders better manage the paralysis and anxiety that can occur while making critical decisions.

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Rather than perpetuating the same old top-down power dynamics, leaders can instead prioritize employees' needs. The role of company culture in many businesses has changed in recent years. This has meant moving away from traditional power structures where leaders decided the business path forward to systems that focus on intentionally giving employees a seat at the decision-making table.  While these efforts have proved fruitful for attracting and retaining employees, fostering a supportive internal culture is an ongoing undertaking that must regularly be assessed. As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum understand the key role that leaders play in maintaining company culture. Below, 15 of them share their best advice on how leaders can create and sustain a supportive internal culture.

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Reaching out to peers for support is a great way to work through negative feelings. The last few years have brought many changes across personal and professional lives across the globe. While some of the changes have been positive, such as the prioritization of work-life balance, other changes like persistent uncertainty are causing many professionals to feel overwhelmed.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are familiar with the toll professional life can have on a person. Below 14 of them offer coping tactics that can help reduce overwhelm and get professionals back on track.

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To set first-time leaders up for success, organizations have to create processes that offer support and flexibility. Whether a first-time leader has been promoted or is newly hired into the organization, the systems a business has in place are critical for that leader to overcome the obstacles they will inevitably face. As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are familiar with business procedures that can help new leaders feel supported. Read on as 13 of them offer recommendations on what organizations should do to build systems that help first-time leaders succeed in their roles.

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Adopting practices like mindfulness can be a great way to reduce stress and take back control of one's life. Between managing employees, monitoring the market and setting and achieving business goals, leaders have a lot of pressure on their shoulders. All of these responsibilities and expectations undoubtedly contribute to making stress a routine and ever-present part of the job for many leaders. While leadership and stress can go hand-in-hand, pursuing practices like mindfulness could help leaders better manage their stress and take back control. To help leaders prevent stress from negatively impacting their productivity and morale, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice for how leaders can adopt or practice mindfulness on a regular basis.

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While a productive workforce is vital to a successful business, leaders must balance good management with giving employees autonomy. For many business leaders, having a hand in every aspect of their business has allowed them to ensure that each and every client is well taken care of. This method is an effective way to maintain high-quality products and services while also maximizing what each additional hire is able to contribute to the business.  However, if a leader is too heavy-handed, this management strategy can have an adverse effect internally over time, straining manager-employee relationships and negatively impacting workplace morale. A productive workforce is an essential component in building a successful business, but leaders must be careful not to become a hindrance to their employees. To help leaders adopt a management style that works with and not against employees, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer a piece of advice for increasing employee productivity without resorting to micromanaging.

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Taking notes on how the world's largest and most innovative corporations operate can help businesses of any size emulate their success.  There are certain companies you hear about nearly every day, whether they're new or have been around for decades. These powerhouse companies find a significant problem that needs to be solved and develop innovative, pleasing solutions for customers. Many startup leads aim to achieve that kind of notoriety, and there is much to be learned from observing powerhouses like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and others. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared some important lessons they've learned by watching the strategies of other successful businesses. 

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In operating a business, the one thing entrepreneurs can undoubtedly expect is to encounter challenges. Even with a solid business plan, well-developed products or services and a network of established customers hungering for said business offerings, organizations have no guarantee of challenge-free success. In fact, if there is one thing a business owner can expect, it’s that they will encounter adversity.  Despite this fact, adversity should be regarded as an opportunity for businesses to regroup and innovate. Learning strategies for effectively handling and overcoming these obstacles can allow entrepreneurs to operate their business in an even better way than before. To that end, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice below on how entrepreneurs can strategically leverage adversity for business success.

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Leveraging data from the past year as well as feedback from employees and customers can give businesses insight into what initiatives to explore next. With the end of 2022 fast approaching, many businesses are already deep into planning for 2023. And while a new year offers a chance to try something new, market instability and the looming threat of a potential recession are increasing the amount of pressure felt by business leaders. Luckily, they don't always have to start from scratch when it comes to finding fresh ideas. Looking back at the successes and failures of the current year can offer insight into what initiatives would be best to explore or where an organization can pivot if something isn't bringing in the desired results. However, it's also key for businesses to keep a close eye on markets and customers because they too can provide guidance. To offer further insights, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members share additional tips for business leaders as they continue planning for Q1.

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Demonstrating the unique value your business offers can help set your business apart from the competition. A crowded market can present entrepreneurs with a number of challenges. In addition to building up the business and establishing connections with prospective customers, entrepreneurs also have to know how to navigate competition. Others in the market may offer similar or even the same products or services, so learning how to best appeal to potential customers helps set your business apart. When customers have a variety of choices, demonstrating the value your business can offer is essential to attracting and retaining those customers. To help, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members share how entrepreneurs can approach differentiating their products or services in an oversaturated market.

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Before taking on any additional work, it's best to ensure you and your team have the capacity to complete the work. An increase in workload is one indication that a business is doing well in a market. However, if the capacity of the current team is not considered alongside growing responsibilities, a business may end up with too much work and no ability to ensure it’ll be done in a timely manner.  To help dial back and shift focus before efficiency decreases, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one critical sign that a leader or business has too many projects going on at once. 

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Creating a culture that actively encourages employees to generate and share ideas is a great way to keep your company competitive in the market. Once an employee has been in an organization for enough time, the fresh perspective they brought with them may start to dwindle. Learning more about the organization and the clients it serves as well as becoming entrenched in already established systems can make it difficult to branch out, especially if leadership isn’t open to making real changes that impact the business in significant ways. Contrary to popular belief, the best ideas don’t necessarily always have to come from the top, and devising ways to keep employees part of the conversations happening within an organization can only lead to business wins. To help leaders create a workplace culture that fosters innovation, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members share methods they've adopted for keeping their teams curious and innovative.

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Rather than let the idea of change hold them back, business leaders can see change as a way to increase their chances of future success. When a habit shows success, it can be difficult to adopt different practices, even when success is limited or comes at a cost. This is a common occurrence in business when leaders become so dedicated to doing something the way it has always been done that they are unintentionally sabotaging their future success.  Knowing where to start when making changes isn’t easy, but one of the first steps leaders can take is simply committing to the act of making changes for the better. Below, 10 Newsweek Expert Forum members share further advice on what leaders should do to address and break their own bad habits.

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Offering resources and opportunities for employees to further develop skills helps ensure the creation of a supportive workplace.  Every employee starts out with certain skills that help them do their job, as well as the expectation that they’ll pick up other needed skills along the way. These skills can be learned in one’s own time or gleaned from a mentor; however, for an employee to truly progress and move to the next level, there needs to be support from leadership. To provide some guidance on how to do that, 11 Newsweek Expert Forum members share essential steps for creating a workplace that actively supports the personal and professional development of its employees.

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As burnout continues to negatively impact employees on all levels, it's essential to build in processes to mitigate it. Accepting a leadership role comes with the recognition that managing others will not be an easy endeavor. Between ensuring business goals are continually being set and met and taking care of the personal and professional needs of the employees working with you, being a manager can take a heavy toll. Combine these duties with the stress of the last few years and you’ve got a recipe for manager burnout. To help these leaders tackle and manage their burnout, 12 members from Newsweek Expert Forum each offer advice on how managers can reduce the stress and successfully get back in the game.

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  In business, a “leader” is typically defined as the person in charge. This can range from executives at the top down to the managers who preside over individual departments or teams. However, having an official leader position isn’t what makes someone a good–or even an effective leader. Great leaders are those who are able to balance the big picture of the company mission with the finer details of how employees contribute to the achievement of business goals. Developing that balance means leaders need to actively acquire and refine their skills. As experts, Newsweek Expert Forum members know that refining those skills is an ongoing process, so below, they each share one skill every manager needs to effectively lead and coach employees.

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To keep your top employees around, it's important to show them how much you value their contributions and talents. A significant portion of one's life is spent at work, so finding value in that work is critical. As a leader, you want your employees to feel their time is being well-spent and their contributions matter. Happier, more engaged employees will result in stronger trust and higher-quality work. To help your organization achieve this, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members shared 15 ways you can help your employees feel valued.

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Feel awkward when you network? Try these tips to make it feel more organic and even fun. Many people network with the intention of trying to sell a business leader on their product or service, whether to get seed money or to try and create a partnership. Because of this, networking events may end up feeling awkward and uncomfortable when it's all about the hard sell. However, networking doesn't have to feel like you're "schmoozing." Business leaders can use these events to make real connections and build solid foundations for future business relations, all without pitching an idea. Below, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members offered their best advice for making networking more natural and fun to build long-lasting connections. 

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It's easy to choose a path based on preconceived notions, but business leaders must be as objective as possible when making decisions that impact their company. Objective decisions are vital to the success of a business. Sometimes, leaders have to make tough choices that may feel personal, like letting an employee go or hiring one candidate over another. Leaders may also be too close to the business to see a problem that needs to be fixed or a solution that might work better than a system already in place. These decisions and considerations contribute to a business's bottom line and are therefore important to carefully consider. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members give their best advice for making sure leaders let go of assumptions about their business and make decisions more objectively. 

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Chapters that ignite stress and high levels of intensity are inevitable.

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An exceptional leader is defined both by the accomplishments of their organization and their personal characteristics that contribute directly to that success. A business leader may be defined by the work their company does or the goals it accomplishes, but their individual status as a great leader comes down to the characteristics they possess that set them apart from others.  Leading a successful organization requires that leaders are able to effectively handle any circumstances the business may encounter, but this isn’t the only quality that matters. Below, 14 members of Newsweek Expert Forum each share one characteristic that is critical in a great leader and how that trait influences their ability to effectively lead.

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Before moving your business to a new industry, it's best to get a full understanding of that current market. Moving your business into a new industry can bring with it the opportunity to expand your current business offerings or go in a completely different direction. However, before jumping into a new endeavor, it’s important to carefully think through each move and fully understand the potential consequences of what you do. While an entrepreneur may have experience in a given field, that experience may not translate well to a new setting. To help entrepreneurs make a successful change, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members share common mistakes entrepreneurs encounter as they attempt to pivot into a new industry.

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If you want a loyal customer base that keeps coming back, you need to put consumers at the center of everything you do. Many companies claim that their customers are their highest priority. While this is a nice thing to say, there's a difference between simply delivering what a customer asks for and truly being a consumer-centric organization.  Today's consumers expect that the businesses they buy from will go the extra mile to ensure an experience that exceeds their expectations. To help your company become more consumer-centric, 15 members of Newsweek Expert Forum members offered their best tips below.